Everything I Own
by LuckyLadybug
Summary: Sibling cuteness fic. Marik and Rishid struggle against the Yami once more. Not yaoi. Kind reviews welcome!


Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Everything I Own  
  
By Lucky_Ladybug  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: The characters and song aren't mine, the story is, and this is sibling cuteness! ^___^ This be one of my odd lil pieces that required a write-up. XD  
  
  
  
  
  
~You sheltered me from harm,  
  
Kept me warm  
  
Kept me warm  
  
You gave my life to me  
  
Set me free  
  
Set me free~  
  
I can hardly bear to look at his brutalized body. . . . He is laying sprawled on the floor, an expression of immense pain on his face. His eyes, once so full of life and sparkle, are now sightless and blank. The blood from his wounds seeps out and stains the floor around him. Though he has come through so much and survived, now he is dead. My brother is dead!! He fell at the hands of his evil Yami after fighting so bravely. It was not supposed to happen. Why did it?! WHY??!  
  
"Marik . . . brother . . . no. . . . No. . . . NO!!!"  
  
I drop to my knees next to his still form, wanting to ease his pain. He looks dead, but I convince myself that he is not. He can't be! "Marik, it is alright now," I whisper, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You will heal. . . . The pain won't last. . . ."  
  
"He can't hear you." The evil one steps from the shadows. "He is out of his pain. But yours is just beginning."  
  
My hands shaking, I gather my brother's mortal form close to my heart. "No . . . Marik . . . look at me! Please . . ." The blank gaze is too much for me. I cannot help but remember how, just before the Yami delivered the final blow, Marik looked at me and smiled in a melancholy way.  
  
"I swear," he had said firmly, "I will not let my Yami triumph. He was created from my dark emotions. But he is nothing. He is no longer a part of me and he never can be again." Then he had tried with all his might to destroy the abomination, but instead he was destroyed. And I was not able to do a thing to save him.  
  
~The finest years I ever knew  
  
Were all the years I spent with you~  
  
I should have been able to do something. . . . Would there have been time enough for me to have gotten in the way and taken the fatal blow myself? How will I live with myself if I could have preserved Marik's life but didn't?  
  
Coming back to the present again, I try frantically to make my brother stop staring up with the look of death. "Do not look at me like that!" I plead, my voice rising. "Marik . . ."  
  
"I have destroyed him," the evil one tells me with much satisfaction. "He was no match for my strength. You see? The good are weak. Only evil survives!"  
  
"BE SILENT! MARIK WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO WIN!!" I cradle the boy in my arms protectively as I speak. He will move. He will. He has to!  
  
"He didn't have any choice in the matter. I have triumphed, and soon you will be deceased as well." He picks up the Millennium Rod, which is now covered in Marik's blood. "Only I won't let your spirit find his. You and he will be apart for all eternity!"  
  
I watch the blood drip on the floor. Marik's blood. . . . He is so still . . . so cold . . . so . . . lifeless. . . .  
  
~I would give everything I own,  
  
Give up my life, my heart, my home  
  
I would give everything I own  
  
Just to have you back again~  
  
It hits me like a brick wall. Dead. . . . I knew he had . . . left, but . . . I . . . I could not accept it.  
  
I lay my hand in his soft hair, holding him closer. "Oh Marik . . ." Carefully I close his eyes, unable to bear leaving them the way they had been. That would seem so disrespectful to the precious brother I have treasured and loved for all of his much-too-short life.  
  
"Touching." The evil one stands over us both. "But soon I will plunge the world into darkness. AND NOTHING AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME!!"  
  
I look from him down to Marik's body. Created from my brother's confusion and pain . . . mutated into his own entity . . . now able to survive without Marik's form in order to do so. . . . There is no spark of goodness anywhere within him. He exists solely to deliver his wrath upon the world. Marik tried so hard . . . so hard to defeat him. . . . He gave everything he possibly could—his own life—but it was not enough. I cannot let his death be in vain! Not after everything we have come through!  
  
Memories of the past again encircle me. I remember Battle City. . . . Every horrible minute of it. And I remember Marik's triumphant defeat of the evil one then. He came back to Ishizu and I that day a sobered, tired, and wiser boy than before. Over time his emotional scars healed and he lost some of the defiant attitude he had possessed. He told me . . . I can hear him telling me so clearly. . . .  
  
"Rishid . . . I never want to repeat any of my past mistakes. I want to make up for every harsh thing I have ever said to you or Ishizu. Neither of you deserved any harsh words from me at all!" Then he looked away, tears falling from his eyes. He looked so lost and alone . . . so sad. . . .  
  
I remember my response as well. I went over and pulled him close to me, smiling tenderly down at the boy nine years my junior. "But you have changed, Marik. Ishizu and I have forgiven you. We know that behind every angry word and every harsh action there was a frightened child trying to deal with it all. You never meant to hurt us."  
  
"But I did!"  
  
"The past is past now, my brother. You are the gentlest, kindest person I know."  
  
Marik gave me a small smile and embraced me then. He tried so hard to change his ways . . . and he succeeded. Of course he remained defiant around anyone committing evil actions. He was that way . . . right up to the end.  
  
"I pray you will rest in peace, my brother," I whisper as his limp body lays across my lap. "You deserve the peace." Tears fall from my eyes as I take and wrap him in my cloak. He hardly enjoyed much peace at all in his life. He had to deal with so much!  
  
~You taught me how to love,  
  
What it's of  
  
What it's of  
  
You never said too much,  
  
But still you showed the way  
  
And I knew from watching you~  
  
Now I come to a conclusion. I must stop the Yami. No matter what . . . I must bring his reign of terror to a halt once and for all.  
  
"I will stop you." I glare, steely-eyed, at last responding to his tirade. I do not know how to stop him with his new-found strength, it is true, but I will. He murdered my brother. I will never forgive that. I cannot!  
  
"Oh? I would like to see you try!" The evil one sneers as he prepares to destroy me.  
  
But before he can, I have gently laid Marik's body down and tackled the abomination standing before me. I force him to the floor, my hatred eclipsing my rational thinking.  
  
"Pathetic fool!" He blasts me against the wall and then sends his dark energy to increase the pain. "If Marik—my hikari—couldn't defeat me, you never could!"  
  
Again and again I struggle to attack him, trying to wrench Marik's Rod away from the Yami's filthy hands and also deliver crippling blows to his body. Every time I am shocked back by his powers and weakened with every jolt. Though I have been able to overpower him several times, he continues to come out on top in the end.  
  
"This is much more fun than simply killing you off with one blow," the evil one laughs. "It is what I did to Marik. I like suffering."  
  
I force myself to stand again. "You are no better than the Devil himself!" He must be defeated! He must be!  
  
"Yes, Rishid . . . he must be. . . . But your mind must be clear to do it!"  
  
I freeze, hearing Marik's voice. His body is still. How . . .? I call for him then, noticing that even the evil one has heard and is looking irritated.  
  
Then Marik's spirit appears beside me. He smiles, laying a hand on my shoulder. I gaze in awe.  
  
~Nobody else could ever know  
  
The part of me that can't let go~  
  
The evil one gazes as well, but not with awe. "YOU . . . YOU INSOLENT CUR!" he yells, pointing at Marik.  
  
Marik regards him calmly and then looks back at me. "We will defeat him, Rishid! Together we will!" He somehow grasps my hand and I return the gesture.  
  
"Yes . . . together," I agree, my voice shaking.  
  
"IT'S FUTILE!" his Yami screams.  
  
"On the contrary!" Marik retorts, crossing his arms and standing in his defiant manner. "You were created from my hatred and anger, so now my sense of justice and righteousness will destroy you!"  
  
~I would give everything I own,  
  
Give up my life, my heart, my home,  
  
I would give everything I own  
  
Just to have you back again~  
  
Combining our strength and determination, we attack once more. The evil one begins to berate Marik in our native tongue and Marik responds, his voice climbing with righteous indignation. He rips the Rod away and holds it in his transparent hands.  
  
"A Shadow Game," he says softly. "We will finish this with a Shadow Game."  
  
The Yami, looking undaunted at having the Rod taken away from him, only smirks. "Very well then. The loser will be destroyed completely."  
  
I watch their "game," which is literally a duel to the death. There is again nothing I can do save for simply being here for my brother. And, as he would say, sometimes that's all that's needed.  
  
"I will be alright, Rishid," Marik assures me. "You are weakened. You need to rest now."  
  
"I will never rest until you have defeated him, my brother," I reply quietly, though I do feel the dizziness coming over me.  
  
What will happen if Marik does win? Will he go on to Heaven then? I suppose it is too much to hope that he will be able to stay. He will have to go on to the next life, and if he loses . . .  
  
It seems that either way I will lose that boy.  
  
My attention is brought back to the duel as the evil one summons The Winged Dragon of Ra. No! Marik cannot defeat that! All of his monsters have been destroyed now!  
  
"It seems that this is the final play," the Yami smirks. "The Winged Dragon of Ra will obey me now that I have chanted the inscription to summon it!"  
  
"BROTHER!!" I scream, trying to run forward. An invisible barrier stops me.  
  
Marik does not appear worried. "Will it now?" He closes his eyes briefly and then opens them again, his lavender eyes full of determination and courage. "Winged Dragon of Ra . . . attack the one who summoned you!"  
  
I watch in astonishment as the creature turns to face the evil one.  
  
"It can't do this!!" the Yami yells, utter confusion and shock in his eyes.   
  
"But it is," Marik replies. "It won't obey you because *I* am the real Marik. And now . . . I am afraid I didn't make the rules . . . but you shall be destroyed because of your loss."  
  
The Winged Dragon attacks. . . . The evil one's lifepoints go to zero. And he begins to disappear.  
  
"I swear, this is NOT the end!" his wicked voice hisses as he fades away.  
  
Now the strain of it comes over me and I sink to my knees, unable to fight the weariness any longer. I was injured perhaps worse than I thought. But I smile up at Marik as he comes over to me.  
  
"You did it, my brother," I tell him, full of relief and joy. "He is gone."  
  
Marik only nods silently and tries to help me lay down. "It will be alright, Rishid," he says quietly. "Ishizu will find you."  
  
Then . . . he must leave. . . . My brother is leaving. My heart is breaking again. I long to hug him one last time, but I know I cannot.  
  
~Is there someone you know  
  
You're loving them so  
  
But taking them all for granted?  
  
You may lose them one day  
  
Someone takes them away  
  
And they don't hear  
  
The words you long to say~  
  
Desperately I reach for him anyway, but this time my hand passes through. "Marik, my precious brother. . . . I love you . . . so much!" My eyes are forced closed and I cannot open them again.  
  
But still I hear Marik's soft voice as I pass into unconsciousness. "And I you, Rishid," he replies. "Thank you." Then he is gone.  
  
****  
  
I awake hearing my name being called frantically. "Rishid?! Rishid??" I am only semiconscious, so I cannot quite tell whose voice it is.  
  
Struggling to open my eyes, I find I cannot see anyone around. "Who is here?" I call out in a raspy voice. I receive no response.  
  
Slowly I get into a sitting position. The room is empty . . . save for Marik's dear body wrapped in my cloak. Then the memory of everything that happened washes over me. I remember his spirit coming back to defeat the Yami. . . . He is so brave . . . so strong and noble. And I will always remember him for that. That is what he would want. He would never want to be remembered for his past mistakes, unless it was to acknowledge that he had completely changed.  
  
Limping over, I gently take him into my arms and hold him close. "Marik . . . I will miss you so much. . . . So very much. . . ." I close my eyes tightly, unable to prevent the tears. "You deserved to live a good, long life. . . ."  
  
I begin to notice something as I hold him. His flesh seems . . . warmer. And . . . he seems . . . he seems to be trying to move closer to me. But . . . how . . . how is this possible?! He indicated himself that . . . that he would not be able to stay. Is this simply my wishful thinking?  
  
"No . . . I'm here, Rishid. . . ." Marik looks up at me with a smile, apparently having read my thoughts through our mental bond.  
  
I stare at him in shock, at first not knowing what to think or do. He is . . . alive?! My brother is allowed to stay?! Ishizu and I do not have to part with him?!  
  
Marik chuckles kindly as he reaches up and hugs me as best as he can. "Yes . . . I am able to stay," he smiles, relaxing in my embrace. "The Yami . . . he couldn't kill me. But my body was too weakened. . . . I had to leave it temporarily to defeat him."  
  
I hold him in awe. "Then . . . you were never dead?"  
  
"No," Marik replies. "Not dead. But . . . at one point I wasn't certain if I would be able to return to my body." He smiles peacefully. "Obviously I was able to. That's when I called to you. But then I seemed to go unconscious. I just regained my senses again now."  
  
"Oh my precious brother," I say softly, pulling back to look at him. He is still hurt, but he does not care. His wounds are battle scars that he will endure proudly.  
  
Marik settles down sleepily. "Rishid . . . let's go home," he declares. "Ishizu must be so frantic by now. . . ."  
  
I agree wholeheartedly. Carefully I stand, not wanting to jostle the frail, courageous boy in my arms. Marik lays his head on my shoulder and soon has fallen asleep. He appears as innocent as the child he once was.  
  
****  
  
Ishizu meets us halfway home, having gone out looking for us hours ago. She cries out in joy when she sees us and then runs over to embrace us both.  
  
Marik senses her presence and opens his eyes, smiling at her. "Sister . . . now we are all together again." He looks as though an enormous burden has been lifted from him.  
  
"Yes," I agree, smiling as well. "For a while . . . I was so very afraid that we would not be able to all reunite."  
  
"But we have," Marik says softly.  
  
Ishizu takes off her cape and drapes it over my shoulders, as I am still letting Marik wear my cloak. "You are both weary. Come home and rest and we will talk about it then."  
  
And so we head for home. So much has happened today. . . . Is the Yami truly defeated or will he return to torment us more? In any case, Marik has defeated him for a good while and he is still with us. That is the most important thing—that we still have our precious brother.  
  
~I would give everything I own,  
  
Give up my life, my heart, my home  
  
I would give everything I own  
  
Just to have you back again  
  
Just to touch you once again~ 


End file.
